Ramla

Welcome to Ramla

It’s not quite as old as nearby Jaffa – history here stretches back ‘only’ 1300 years – but Ramla's bustling market, underground pools and crumbling Islamic architecture make it an interesting half-day trip. Try to visit on a Wednesday, when the market is at its busiest.

Established in 716 CE by the Umayyid caliph Suleiman, Ramla ('Spot of Sand') was a stopover on the road from Egypt to Damascus. Before the arrival of the Crusaders in the 11th century, it was Palestine’s capital and maintained its importance in the Middle Ages as the first stop for the Jerusalem-bound pilgrims who came ashore at Jaffa. Following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the majority of the Arab population was expelled or fled and was replaced by poor Jewish immigrants, mainly from Asia and North Africa. The population is now a mix of Muslim Arabs (16%), Christian Arabs (4%) and Jews (80%).

Practical information

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